Town officials covered the Confederate banner with the state flag as a temporary solution after the councils July 20 vote.

The six-member panel unanimously agreed to make the change at its July 20 meeting.

Its just one of those things, Councilman Stanley L. Heaney Sr. said of the plan to create a new seal that doesnt include the sometimes-called rebel or Dixie flag. Its time to do it. You know, with all this stuff in the news about the removal of and damage to Confederate-soldier statues.

Mr. Heaney added: People are vandalizing the (signs) coming into town scratching on them, beating them. Its just going to be an ongoing thing.

Designed by former Councilman Tom Reese Jr. and adopted in 1985, the existing Remington seal shows a locomotive pulling a car over a bridge that spans the Rappahannock River and an anchor flanked by the American and Confederate flags.

Remington then known as Rappahannock Station and the surrounding area played major roles in the Civil War, with Confederate and Union armies often crossing the river and camping there.

The town has a population of about 670.

Town signs include the Remington seal. Until they get replaced, Virginia state flag stickers will continue to cover the Confederate flags. Town police officer patches and town vehicle stickers incorporate the Remington seal and also will be replaced.

In time for its Aug. 17 meeting, the council wants town residents and business owners to submit alternative designs that it eventually will narrow to three.

From that list, town residents and business owners only will get to choose the winning entry, Councilman and Vice Mayor Devada R. Allison Jr. said.

We havent fully worked out the details of how were going to have town residents and business owners make that decision, Mr. Allison said.

But the council probably will come up with a selection process at its August meeting, he said.

The new design could be unveiled at Remingtons Fall Festival on Oct. 10, Mr. Allison said.

As far as we know, the fall festival is still going on, the councilman said. Thats the way I hope it goes down. But its a crazy time were in at the moment. So at this point who knows.

The council decided to change the seal under no organized outside pressure, Mr. Allison said.

He spoke of informal conversations he had on the street and in passing with people who expressed concerns because the seal contains the Confederate flag, he said.

I think with the way our nations going and the healing process, I think it was time, Mr. Allison said of his support for changing the town seal. I just think its time that we make sure that everybody knows Remington is a place where everybodys welcome, as long as youre here to respect and be kind to one another, as this town is.

Councilwoman Susan L. Tiffany recalled a discussion she had with Councilman Van M. Loving and Town Administrator Sharon Lee about making a change to the seal in late June.

But we knew we had to have a council meeting to bring it up, Ms. Tiffany said.

The councilwoman also talked with Stephanie Litter-Reber, who lives just outside of town, about the existing seal.

Mrs. Litter-Reber, who represents Lee District on the Fauquier County School Board, gave the council at its July a detailed history of the seal and its meaning based on phone a conversation with Mr. Reese.

In a prepared statement, she also told the council that the seal has served us well for 35 years. But, since most of the people driving through our town do not know the history or symbolism that went into its design, its viewed as a sign that our town accepts hatred, which couldn't be further from the truth.

In a July 20 email to the town, Mr. Reese, who lives near Midland, backed the replacement or redesign of the seal that he created.

I recommend that any offensive parts of the seal be removed and that, possibly, a brand new design be adopted by the town, he wrote.

ContactDon Del RossoatDon@FauquierNow.com or 540-270-0300.

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Stars and bars removed from Remington's seal - Fauquier Now